And yet, cutting edge as these processors are, both Nvidia and Qualcomm are as you read this toiling away on the generation after that: the quad-core chip. These next-gen processors are, according to those in the know at Nvidia, headed for smartphones and tablets as early as this year, casting some serious shadow on the current stable of MWC offerings.

Qualcomm, who manufacture the Snapdragon processors that power so many modern smartphones, are taking a little more time with their quad-core chips, which will be out some time in 2012. But for a look at the kind of blisteringly fast web browsing Nvidia's 2011 chip can serve up, check out the video below.